Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

RBU-1200

RBU-1200 on a Pauk-class corvette

The RBU-1200 (Russian: Реактивно-Бомбовая Установка, Reaktivno-Bombovaja Ustanovka; reaction engine-bomb installation & Смерч; waterspout) is a anti-submarine rocket launcher. The weapon system is remotely similar to the British Hedgehog anti submarine mortar launcher from the Second World War.

Description

RBU-1200 anti-submarine rocket launcher on the bow of the Finnish patrol craft Kurki (51).

The RBU-1200 system was developed in 1955 to provide anti-submarine capability against submarines and torpedoes by surface vessels. In order to allow installation on small warships the design was made very lightweight.

The RBU-1200 system has five tubes with rocket-propelled depth bombs per each launcher. Reloading is performed manually. The launcher cannot be swiveled horizontally, but rather has to be aimed by turning the entire warship, which is a serious disadvantage of the weapon system and limits its flexibility.

The system is controlled by a PUS-B "Uragan" fire control system.

The system uses RGB-12 rocket-propelled depth bombs,which are fitted with contact fuzes. The projectile is propelled by a solid rocket fuel motor initially, and for the rest of the flight it follows a ballistic arc. The effective range of the system extends from 400 to 1200 meters. The contact fuze K-3 / K-3M, or combined contact-delay fuze KDV are used as a detonators. K-3 / K-3M fuze detonates the warhead if a target is hit directly or if the projectile sinks to the bottom. The KDV fuze besides activating on impact on the target (or bottom) at the depths of 25-330 meters can also be set to activate upon reaching a specified depth in the range of 10-330 meters.[1]

Technical data[2]

Launcher

RBU 1200 launchers in Naval museum complex Balaklava
  • Weight: 620 kg (empty)
  • Length: 1.38 m
  • Height: 1.1 m
  • Width: 1,115 m
  • Elevation: 0 to 51 °
  • Traverse: 0°

RGB-12 projectile

  • Weight: 73 kg
  • Warhead: 30 kg
  • Diameter: 251.7 mm
  • Length: 1.24 m
  • Range: 400 m to 1200 m
  • Depth: up to 350 m
  • Rate of descent: 6.25 m/s

Operators

Ship classes fitted with RBU-1200 (list not complete):

See also

References

  1. ^ "RBU-1200 (реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reaktívny vrhač bômb)" [RBU-1200 ( реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reactive bomb launcher )] (in Czech). 19 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  2. ^ "RBU-1200 (реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reaktívny vrhač bômb)" [RBU-1200 ( реактивно-бомбомётная установка - reactive bomb launcher )] (in Czech). 19 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  3. ^ "Việt Nam dùng rocket chống ngầm RBU-1200 để tấn công mặt đất". datviet.trithuccuocsong.vn. 2020-12-22. Retrieved 2021-11-04.